


Green Eyes

by unwillingadventurer



Category: Raffles - E. W. Hornung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:40:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24594682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwillingadventurer/pseuds/unwillingadventurer
Summary: Bunny overhears Raffles declaring his love for someone.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14





	Green Eyes

I was in an irritable mood when I arrived at the Albany, exhausted after a long day of writing, scribbling and screwing up paper, throwing it into the bin at high speed from my bureau and repeat, repeat, repeat. Therefore, I was ready to drown my sorrows in a glass of Raffles’ scotch whiskey hoping the day would end far better than it had started.

Raffles was on the telephone when I entered, the door already ajar as though he was expecting me and so I entered quietly, hung up my coat and hat and stood waiting for him in the hallway. His telephone manner was a pleasant one and I always felt a rush of excitement whenever he would speak upon it and I could hear his deep enchanting voice. 

“She’s absolutely beautiful, yes, I’m quite in love,” I heard him say with an air of romance.

My eyes widened then. My heart sank. My legs started to shake. Since when had Raffles been in love? And why hadn’t he told me about it? Who was she? When did he meet her? What was so good about her he needed to telephone someone to brag of her virtues? Why was I thinking in so many questions?

At that moment, Raffles smiled at me to acknowledge my existence and then waved me through into the sitting room. I reluctantly moved through the door but stood, still listening to his conversation and watching him like a nosy neighbour through twitching curtains. 

“The most mesmerising green eyes. Holds herself with absolute perfection. She’s regal, finely groomed and from terribly good stock.”

He laughed and continued to do so for the remainder of the conversation, frustratingly standing on his tiptoes every few seconds as though as light as air. And by the time he placed down the receiver, I could feel my heart pounding with apprehension. Who was this mystery woman?

“There you are, my dear Bunny. Help yourself to some whiskey and a Sullivan,” he said as he strode into the room with a spring in his step and then whistled merrily as he approached the settee.

I didn’t respond and gladly poured myself a drink and took a much-needed sip to steady my nerves. The cigarette Raffles handed me remained unlit as I made a circuit of the room with him following me with a match, ready to light it, no doubt wondering why I was pacing so fervently across his rooms as if I were in some kind of fun run. 

“By Jove, Bunny, are you in a rush for something? Cigarette? Light?” 

I shook from my thoughts and smiled. “Of course, yes, cigarette. How silly of me.” 

He struck the match and in a flash my cigarette was lit and dangling from my lips. In the light of the flame I gazed at Raffles’ handsome face as his eyes fixed upon me, watching me, examining me.

“Is something the matter, Bunny? You’re quite pale.”

“Pale, A.J? Why would I be pale?” I realised how hostile I sounded in my tone but how could he be so in love with some woman and not even confide in me? Did I mean that little to him?

He laughed. “My dear fellow! What a rabid little Rabbit you are at this moment. What has brought on such a mood?”

I ignored the question. “Nice… telephone call?”

“It was a simple telephone conversation with an old friend, nothing more. Does that interest you much?”

“Making polite conversation,” I replied bluntly.

He sighed and thrust his hands into the pockets of his smoking jacket before moving to the fire and sitting next to the hearth. “Would one make any other kind over the telephone?”

“And she’s beautiful, is she?” I sat down upon the settee opposite, not looking him in the eye. 

“Who?”

“You know jolly well who, Raffles. You were talking on the telephone about her but five minutes ago. Her hypnotising eyes and all that guff.”

I looked up at him finally and wasn’t sure why he was smirking at me in the way he was but oh the cheek of it! To take such satisfaction in my jealousy, to relish in my discomfort. True, I shouldn’t have listened too carefully to his conversation but how was one able to ignore such a blatant declaration of love?

“I said mesmerising eyes, Bunny, but hypnotic is also rather apt. She is a great companion too. Did you also hear that part whilst you were eavesdropping?”

I looked down at my shoes. “No. Go on.”

“Easy to snuggle up with of an evening. A gentle temperament but she has certainly got her claws into me, my dear Bunny, I am quite smitten.”

I couldn’t believe this was happening again. How many times would I lose him to a determined woman who fancied herself his, casting me aside in the process as though I were a ragdoll tossed to the kerb by a child? 

I dared not ask the question but I was about to explode. “So, it is love then?”

“Is what love?”

“Don’t be insolent, A.J, you know very well who I’m referring to. I should only have hoped you’d have told me about her before telling all and sundry on the telephone.”

“Have you quite finished?”

I nodded. 

Calmly, he stood up and gestured to take my hand. “Bunny, will you follow me?”

“Why?” I folded my arms in protest, unwilling to take his hand.

“Come with me to my bedroom.”

Well now he was taunting me! To his bedroom! I longed for such an invitation and now what did he mean by such a request?

“You shall meet her if you like, she’s waiting patiently for me in there.”

My glass nearly dropped from my shaking hands. In his bedroom? In the Albany? I steadied myself against the doorframe, wondering how Raffles could have lost his mind and his decency so easily. And what kind of lady would go along with such an arrangement? 

He opened the door and with a gulp I followed him into the room and stood rather tentatively, rather queasily, looking around, wondering why it was empty and he had brought me here. 

“Where is she then?”

I glanced to the window and could see no signs of entry or escape.

With a deep laugh, he pointed instead toward the bed where resting there, curled up in a ball was a sleek black cat on top the covers. 

Raffles gently lifted the cat into his arms and began to stroke her soft fur. He was so careful in handling her as though she were a diamond or ruby in his grasp. “Isn’t she the most beautiful creature, Bunny?”

“It’s a cat!”

“Well observed. And she… has stolen my heart.”

I reluctantly reached out to stroke the mysterious cat and then gulped, realising what I had done. Had I been so foolish? “You mean she was the beautiful green-eyed woman you were talking about?”

He raised his eyebrows, not needing to utter another word.

“I’m sorry, I thought you…and then…”

His finger pressed against my lip in order to silence me. I was glad as I had no idea how I was going to talk my way out of such a situation. I had jumped to conclusions again, believing the first thing that had entered my mind. I had felt a passionate envy that someone had snatched my Raffles from me and claimed him as their own and all this time it was a blasted cat!

“Where did she come from?” I spluttered, suddenly quite enamoured by the soft purring emanating from the animal.

“Say hello to Lady Esmeralda. She’s not mine, but she lives here in the Albany as a… mouser of sorts.”

“A mouser?”

“Catches mice that is, does it rather well, don’t you my little one?” He kissed its head and seemed so besotted.

If only he would kiss me in such a manner! I gulped, took a deep breath and sighed. Had I stooped so low to be jealous of a cat? 

“Come on, Bunny, hold her for a while. Two adorable creatures together.”

I grinned, slightly embarrassed by the comparison and also of my actions. “Alright.” 

He placed her into my arms and he was right. She was soft, beautiful, sleek and just like Raffles himself. “She is rather something,” I whispered, feeling her little face nudge my cheek, her whiskers tickling me until I was grinning widely. “She reminds me of someone rather remarkable,” I said, “and someone I hope very forgiving.”

He smirked. “Nothing to forgive. Though I am afraid you may have to fight for my affections still that Lady Esmeralda is on the scene.”

“A.J!”


End file.
